Photographer's Note

The victim.

People of Timia, Niger, a place that is suffering now terribly, and no one in Europe seems to care. This is not a worthy cause, they do not have fashionable leader as the Tibetans, who are they , nothing more than a bunch of Muslim shepherds.

Rising prices of uranium and corporate greed, as well as corrupted Niamey officials are reasons for war that is now taking place in northern Niger, in mountains of Air, including his village of Timia, peaceful lush oasis, now cut off from the world.

The Chinese, greedy for African uranium, are supplying government with weapons so that it can protect its interest from being shared with people who had nothing from it, but environmental pollution. The government not only banned all journalists from entering the area, but is arresting all witnesses, both foreign and domestic. Americans will protect its activity as well, as usual happily calling, together with local regime, all who want change a well known name “terrorists”.

Hello Swiatek - a very striking portrait against a richly colored background. The sad expression on the woman's face, coupled with her wrinkled hand convey a hard life that has been endured and given what is still happening, still enduring...

Hi, the dominance of rich browns, grey and white + that tiny touch of blue of her necklace is very interesting. I like that wisp of white hair, the gesture of her hand, the eyes, the texture of her skin and the reflexions on it. It was already but with your explanations it becomes an even more moving image.

Emotional photo and note. I have and still work with many people from Nigeria, that still live there. I have heard many emotional stories and comments of what was and should be done. Everyone is aware of what the cause, a country that should have a standard of living that is only matched by a first world nation, because of it rich and abundant resources. But, the money stops at the top, and does not trickle to it's people. Each of the people that I have worked with has an opinion, not all but most think that outside influence only continues the current situation, and all countries should leave the people to sort it's future. It's just to bad that to accomplish this, ALL feel that this will only occur through violence. Rodney

Definitely a very strong emotional moment here, masterfully rendered by itself, the humanity in those eyes is touching, the textures, colors and sadness of it all... Impressive photography for a very real phenomenon that I saw firsthand and fully agree with you (I lived 2 years in Africa).
Keep up the message, information can be a powerful agent of change, perhaps the only one left to them.

Hello Swiatek,
Perfect portrait and excellent explanatory note. I would not differentiate between Africans, Chinese, Americans, European and others. Unfortuately in the whole World there are people who care only about their own profit ignoring the wellbeing of other people as well as the wellbeing of our Blue Planet. Most of us got used to live in democracy and this fact has taken away from us the pro-active reflexes for self defense as well as defense of other who are surpressed. You took a very good way of promoting the general knowledge across the World and contributing to remediation of that situation. I am very sorry reading about the war in Niger and about local people suffering.
Kind regards, Michael